Germany, Ukraine call for grain deal extension

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the extension of the grain deal during a phone call, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said on Tuesday.

“Chancellor Scholz and President Zelenskyy called for the grain agreement under the aegis of the United Nations to be extended beyond July 17, which is helping to improve the global food situation,” Hebestreit added.

Last month, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern that Russia would on July 17 quit the deal allowing the safe wartime export of grain and fertilizers from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

His statement came after Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 13 that Moscow had agreed to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative several times but is now considering withdrawing.

Moscow has tied the agreement's extension to the inclusion of its state-owned Russian Agricultural Bank in the SWIFT international payment system. It also complained that the agreement failed to deliver on a promise to free up Russian agricultural exports stymied by Western sanctions.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed the deal in Istanbul last July to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports which were halted after the start of the Ukraine war in February last year.

The deal has been renewed several times since then and was extended for another two months on May 18.

Meanwhile, the chancellor reaffirmed Germany’s “continued and unwavering solidarity with Ukraine” in its war with Russia.

Scholz said Berlin will “continue to support Ukraine, including in the military field, in close coordination with European and international partners.”

Both sides agreed to continue their constructive exchange in order to garner global support for a peaceful solution and to remain in close contact, according to the spokesperson.